enerously　spoke　in　favour　of　John　Rex。　〃He　might　have　left　us　to　starve；〃　Frere　said；　〃he　might　have　murdered　us；　we　were　completely　in　his　power。　　The　stock　of　provisions　on　board　the　brig　was　not　a　large　one；　and　I　consider　that；　in　dividing　it　with　us；　he　showed　great　generosity　for　one　in　his　situation。〃　This　piece　of　evidence　told　strongly　in　favour　of　the　prisoners；　for　Captain　Frere　was　known　to　be　such　an　uncompromising　foe　to　all　rebellious　convicts　that　it　was　understood　that　only　the　sternest　sense　of　justice　and　truth　could　lead　him　to　speak　in　such　terms。　　The　defence　set　up　by　Rex；　moreover；　was　most　ingenious。　He　was　guilty　of　absconding；　but　his　moderation　might　plead　an　excuse　for　that。　His　only　object　was　his　freedom；　and；　having　gained　it；　he　had　lived　honestly　for　nearly　three　years；　as　he　could　prove。　　He　was　charged　with　piratically　seizing　the　brig　Osprey；　and　he　urged　that　the　brig　Osprey；　having　been　built　by　convicts　at　Macquarie　Harbour；　and　never　entered　in　any　shipping　list；　could　not　be　said　to　be　〃piratically　seized〃；　in　the　strict　meaning　of　the　term。　　The　Court　admitted　the　force　of　this　objection；　and；　influenced　doubtless　by　Captain　Frere's　evidence；　the　fact　that　five　years　had　passed　since　the　mutiny；　and　that　the　two　men　most　guilty　（Cheshire　and　Barker）　had　been　executed　in　England；　sentenced　Rex　and　his　three　companions　to　transportation　for　life　to　the　penal　settlements　of　the　colony。
  CHAPTER　V。
  MAURICE　FRERE'S　GOOD　ANGEL。
  At　this　happy　conclusion　to　his　labours；　Frere　went　down　to　comfort　the　girl　for　whose　sake　he　had　suffered　Rex　to　escape　the　gallows。　On　his　way　he　was　met　by　a　man　who　touched　his　hat；　and　asked　to　speak　with　him　an　instant。　　This　man　was　past　middle　age；　owned　a　red　brandy…beaten　face；　and　had　in　his　gait　and　manner　that　nameless　something　that　denotes　the　seaman。
  〃Well；　Blunt；〃　says　Frere；　pausing　with　the　impatient　air　of　a　man　who　expects　to　hear　bad　news；　〃what　is　it　now？〃
  〃Only　to　tell　you　that　it　is　all　right；　sir；〃　says　Blunt。　〃She's　come　aboard　again　this　morning。〃
  〃Come　aboard　again！〃　ejaculated　Frere。　　〃Why；　I　didn't　know　that　she　had　been　ashore。　　Where　did　she　go？〃　He　spoke　with　an　air　of　confident　authority；　and　Bluntno　longer　the　bluff　tyrant　of　old　seemed　to　quail　before　him。　　The　trial　of　the　mutineers　of　the　Malabar　had　ruined　Phineas　Blunt。　　Make　what　excuses　he　might；　there　was　no　concealing　the　fact　that　Pine　found　him　drunk　in　his　cabin　when　he　ought　to　have　been　attending　to　his　duties　on　deck；　and　the　〃authorities〃　could　not；　or　would　not；　pass　over　such　a　heinous　breach　of　discipline。　　Captain　Bluntwho；　of　course；　had　his　own　version　of　the　storythus　deprived　of　the　honour　of　bringing　His　Majesty's　prisoners　to　His　Majesty's　colonies　of　New　South　Wales　and　Van　Diemen's　Land；　went　on　a　whaling　cruise　to　the　South　Seas。　The　influence　which　Sarah　Purfoy　had　acquired　over　him　had；　however；　irretrievably　injured　him。　　It　was　as　though　she　had　poisoned　his　moral　nature　by　the　influence　of　a　clever　and　wicked　woman　over　a　sensual　and　dull…witted　man。　　Blunt　gradually　sank　lower　and　lower。　He　became　a　drunkard；　and　was　known　as　a　man　with　a　〃grievance　against　the　Government〃。　　Captain　Frere；　having　had　occasion　for　him　in　some　capacity；　had　become　in　a　manner　his　patron；　and　had　got　him　the　command　of　a　schooner　trading　from　Sydney。　　On　getting　this　commandnot　without　some　wry　faces　on　the　part　of　the　owner　resident　in　Hobart　TownBlunt　had　taken　the　temperance　pledge　for　the　space　of　twelve　months；　and　was　a　miserable　dog　in　consequence。　　He　was；　however；　a　faithful　henchman；　for　he　hoped　by　Frere's　means　to　get　some　〃Government　billet〃the　grand　object　of　all　colonial　sea　captains　of　that　epoch。
  〃Well；　sir；　she　went　ashore　to　see　a　friend；〃　says　Blunt；　looking　at　the　sky　and　then　at　the　earth。
  〃What　friend？〃
  〃Thethe　prisoner；　sir。〃
  〃And　she　saw　him；　I　suppose？〃
  〃Yes；　but　I　thought　I'd　better　tell　you；　sir；〃　says　Blunt。
  〃Of　course；　quite　right；〃　returned　the　other；　〃you　had　better　start　at　once。　It's　no　use　waiting。〃
  〃As　you　wish；　sir。　　I　can　sail　to…morrow　morningor　this　evening；　if　you　like。〃
  〃This　evening；〃　says　Frere；　turning　away；　〃as　soon　as　possible。〃
  〃There's　a　situation　in　Sydney　I've　been　looking　after；〃　said　the　other；　uneasily；　〃if　you　could　help　me　to　it。〃
  〃What　is　it？〃
  〃The　command　of　one　of　the　Government　vessels；　sir。〃
  〃Well；　keep　sober；　then；〃　says　Frere；　〃and　I'll　see　what　I　can　do。　And　keep　that　woman's　tongue　still　if　you　can。〃
  The　pair　looked　at　each　other；　and　Blunt　grinned　slavishly。
  〃I'll　do　my　best。〃　　〃Take　care　you　do；〃　returned　his　patron；　leaving　him　without　further　ceremony。
  Frere　found　Vickers　in　the　garden；　and　at　once　begged　him　not　to　talk　about　the　〃business〃　to　his　daughter。
  〃You　saw　how　bad　she　was　to…day；　Vickers。　　For　goodness　sake　don't　make　her　ill　again。〃
  〃My　dear　sir；〃　says　poor　Vickers；　〃I　won't　refer　to　the　subject。　She's　been　very　unwell　ever　since。　　Nervous　and　unstrung。　　Go　in　and　see　her。〃
  So　Frere　went　in　and　soothed　the　excited　girl；　with　real　sorrow　at　her　suffering。
  〃It's　all　right　now；　Poppet；〃　he　said　to　her。　　〃Don't　think　of　it　any　more。　Put　it　out　of　your　mind；　dear。〃
  〃It　was　foolish　of　me；　Maurice；　I　know；　but　I　could　not　help　it。　The　sound　ofofthat　man's　voice　seemed　to　bring　back　to　me　some　great　pity　for　something　or　someone。　　I　don't　explain　what　I　mean；　I　know；　but　I　felt　that　I　was　on　the　verge　of　remembering　a　story　of　some　great　wrong；　just　about　to　hear　some　dreadful　revelation　that　should　make　me　turn　from　all　the　people　whom　I　ought　most　to　love。　　Do　you　understand？〃
  〃I　think　I　know　what　you　mean；〃　says　Frere；　with　averted　face。　〃But　that's　all　nonsense；　you　know。〃
  〃Of　course；〃　returned　she；　with　a　touch　of　her　old　childish　manner　of　disposing　of　questions　out　of　hand。　　〃Everybody　knows　it's　all　nonsense。　But　then　we　do　think　such　things。　　It　seems　to　me　that　I　am　double；　that　I　have　lived　somewhere　before；　and　have　had　another　lifea　dream…life。〃
  〃What　a　romantic　girl　you　are；〃　said　the　other；　dimly　comprehending　her　meaning。　　〃How　could　you　have　a　dream…life？〃
  〃Of　course；　not　really；　stupid！　　But　in　thought；　you　know。　I　dream　such　strange　things　now　and　then。　　I　am　always　falling　down　precipices　and　into　cataracts；　and　being　pushed　into　great　caverns　in　enormous　rocks。　Horrible　dreams！〃
  〃Indigestion；〃　returned　Frere。　　〃You　don't　take　exercise　enough。　You　shouldn't　read　so　much。　　Have　a　good　five…mile　walk。〃
  〃And　in　these　dreams；〃　continued　Sylvia；　not　heeding　his　interruption；　〃there　is　one　strange　thing。　　You　are　always　there；　Maurice。〃
  〃Come；　that's　all　right；〃　says　Maurice。
  〃Ah；　but　not　kind　and　good　as　you　are；　Captain　Bruin；　but　scowling；　and　threatening；　and　angry；　so　that　I　am　afraid　of　you。〃
  〃But　that　is　only　a　dream；　darling。〃
  〃Yes；　but〃　playing　with　the　button　of　his　coat。
  〃But　what？〃
  〃But　you　looked　just　so　to…day　in　the　Court；　Maurice；　and　I　think　that's　what　made　me　so　silly。〃
  〃My　darling！　　There；　hushdon't　cry！〃
  But　she　had　burst　into　a　passion　of　sobs　and　tears；　that　shook　her　slight　figure　in　his　arms。
  〃Oh；　Maurice；　I　am　a　wicked　girl！　　I　don't　know　my　own　mind。　I　think　sometimes　I　don't　love　you　as　I　oughtyou　who　have　saved　me　and　nursed　me。〃
  〃There；　never　mind　about　that；〃　muttered　Maurice　Frere；　with　a　sort　of　choking　in　his　throat。
  She　grew　more　composed　presently；　and　said；　after　a　while；　lifting　her　face；　〃Tell　me；　Maurice；　did　you　ever；　in　those　days　of　which　you　have　spoken　to　me　when　you　nursed　me　as　a　little　child　in　your　arms；　and　fed　me；　and　starved　for　medid　you　ever　think　we　should　be　married？〃
  〃I　don't　know；〃　says　Maurice。　　〃Why？〃
  〃I　think　you　must　have　thought　so；　becauseit's　not　vanity；　dear　you　would　not　else　have　been　so　kind；　and　gentle；　and　devoted。〃
  〃Nonsense；　Poppet；〃　he　said；　with　his　eyes　resolutely　averted。
  〃No；　but　you　have　been；　and　I　am　very　pettish；　sometimes。　　Papa　has　spoiled　me。　You　are　always　affectionate；　and　those　worrying　ways　of　yours；　which　I　get　angry　at；　all　come　from　love　for　me；　don't　they？〃
  〃I　hope　so；〃　said　Maurice；　with　an　unwonted　moisture　in　his　eyes。
  〃Well；　you　see；　that　is　the　reason　why　I　am　angry　with　myself　for　not　loving　you　as　I　ought。　　I　want　you　to　like　the　things　I　like；　and　to　love　the　books　and　the　music　and　the　pictures　and　thethe　World　I　love；　and　I　forget　that　you　are　a　man；　you　know；　and　I　am　only　a　girl；　and　I　forget　how　nobly　you　behaved；　Maurice；　and　how　unselfishly　you　risked　your　life　for　mine。　　Why；　what　is　the　matter；　dear？〃
  He　had　put　her　away　from　him　suddenly；　and　gone　to　the　window；　gazing　across　the　sloping　garden　at　the　bay　below；　sleeping　in　the　soft　evening　light。　　The　schooner　which　had　brought　the　witnesses　from　Port　Arthur　lay　off　the　shore；　and　the　yellow　flag　at　her　mast　fluttered　gently　in　the　cool　evening　breeze。　　The　sight　of　this　flag　appeared　to　anger　him；　for；　as　his　eyes　fell　on　it；　he　uttered　an　impatient　exclamation；　and　turned　round　again。
  〃Maurice！〃　she　cried；　〃I　have　wounded　you！〃
  〃No；　no。　　It　is　nothing；〃　said　he；　with　the　air　of　a　man　surprised　in　a　moment　of　weakness。　　〃II　did　not　like　to　hear　you　talk　in　this　wayabout